What is the meaning of “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2)?

St. Basil says, “always by the spirit of God the Holy Spirit is meant, the Spirit which completes the divine and blessed Trinity … How then did the Spirit of God move upon the waters? The explanation that I am about to give you is not an original one, but that of a Syrian … This is the meaning of the word; by ‘was borne’ [or hovered over] the Syrians, he says, understand: it cherished the nature of the waters as one sees a bird cover the eggs with her body and impart to them vital force from her own warmth. Such is ,as nearly as possible, the meaning of these words—the Spirit was borne: let us understand, that is, prepared the

436 St. Basil of Caesarea, Hexamaeron 2.1 (NPNF II/8:59).

nature of water to produce living beings: a sufficient proof for those who ask if the Holy Spirit took an active part in the creation of the world.”⁴³⁷